Court Games
by Dawnfire321
Summary: Cedric is the oldest son of four, ready to inherit land and titles from his feeble father. That is, once he gains his shield. Olivia is the youngest of the same family on the cusp of becoming a court lady. She wanted the training her brother had. The two find themselves thrust into the world of adults; a world where power is key, and they have none. Will they loose their dignity?


**Of Dragons and Fair Maidens**

Five year old Cedric kneeled outside in the courtyard of the Heathercove estate on summer afternoon. He was only five, but being the oldest of three he was wise for his age. And he knew that the adults were very worried. Servants had been rushing around all day, his father had disappeared into his mother's bedroom.

Mother had been in her bed for weeks on a healer's orders. Cedric knew that it was because of the baby that his Mother was expecting, but he wasn't sure of much else.

"Ced? Sweetheart? I'd like to talk to you about something very serious for a minute." Bonnie, the nursemaid asked, crouching down in front of him. Cedric only nodded at her to go on. "You know your Mam is expecting another baby, don't you? A little brother or sister?"

"Yeah. S'happened twice now." Ced replied with a shrug.

"Well, a few weeks ago the healer thought it might be a complicated pregnancy. The baby wasn't facing the right way to be birthed. That's why your Mam's been on bedrest. We've been trying to get the babe to face the right way, but it hasn't taken. When the healer examined your Mam, he, well..." Bonnie stopped, not wanting to continue. Her face was flushed with trying to explain something so complex to a child, be it an uncanny one.

"He what?" Cedric demanded, showing genuine interest for the first time all day.

"The baby' isn't doing too well. It's dying, and your Mammy with it. The healers are going to try to get the baby born today. You should know that there is little chance that he'll live. Your Mam just may go with him."

"Momma might die? I might never get to meet my baby brother?" Cedric cried out, his voice panicky. "Why aren't the healers doing something?"

"They are doing the best they can. I thought you should know, so you can prepare for the worst." Bonnie smoothed back Cedric's unruly black hair and gave him a small smile. "Come on, Ced. Let's go inside and find Callum. We can play a game."

"I don't like playing with Callum. He always forgets the rules and messes everything up." Cedric whined.

"You should treasure the moments you have with your younger brother. You won't be together forever." Bonnie chastised gently.

That night as Cedric was getting ready for bed he heard a knock at his door. A moment later it opened to reveal the lord Broderick of Heathercove, Cedric's father.

"Dad. What are you doing here so late?" Cedric asked.

"I know it is late, but... I wanted you to meet someone." Broderick crossed the room. In his arms was a small bundle of blanket. He sat on the edge of the bed and patted the space next to him. Cedric climbed onto the bed next to his father. Broderick tilted his bundle, pulling apart the blanket. "This is your baby sister, Olivia Jasmine."

Cedric's eyes widened. The baby was small, undersized even for a newborn. Her skin looked like it might be a cool pale gold in the future, but for now it was pink and red. Her tiny face was scrunched into an expression of deep concern as she slept fitfully. She wasn't pretty- newborns never are- but the first words out of Cedric's mouth were "She's beautiful."

"Your mother picked the name out. She's always hated her own; Joycelyn isn't very pretty, is it?" Brodrick chuckled slightly. "Do you want to hold her?"

"Can I?" Cedric asked. Broderick chuckled again and placed newborn Olivia Jasmine into his arms. Cedric smiled at Olivia with such reverence. She opened her eyes and looked at Cedric, the look of concern leaving her face. Olivia's tiny hand reached up and touched Cedric's cheek. She tilted her head at him, almost questioningly; her brown eyes were wide and bright with intelligence, her thin eyebrows seemed to raise, her lips pursed so slightly. She seemed to want something from Cedric.

Cedric leaned down and kissed Olivia's forehead. Then he whispered in her ear "I vow to always love you. I will always protect you and be there for you. You can count on me, I promise."

Olivia grinned toothlessly at her older brother. Her hand dropped. She settled her thumb comfortably in her mouth and closed her eyes. The sleep she fell back into was peaceful and around the thumb in her mouth arose the ghost of a smile.

* * *

It was years later. Three and a half to be exact. Olivia Jasmine had become quite talkative before even turning one. It was the same with her brothers, so that was no surprise. Cedric had liked her much more before she had started talking.

It was the week leading up to Midwinter and she had been chattering at him nonstop. There was only so much an eight year old could take really. "Will you teach me how to play checkers?" Olivia asked, appearing out of nowhere.

"Leave me _alone,_ Livie!" Cedric growled.

"You promised you would Ced!" Olivia's tone held an accusatory note in it.

"And I did, just last week. You lost three of my pieces, couldn't remember the rules and then started to cry hysterically!" Cedric started yelling.

Olivia's bottom lip started to tremble and her eyes became huge. Not good signs. "Please don't cry Livie. I am sorry I yelled at you, just please, _please_ don't start crying." Cedric begged.

Olivia wrapped her skinny arms around herself and bit her lower lip. "You hate me."

"No, I don't..." Cedric was cut off when the three year old started to cry. It was ugly, a temper tantrum to rival the best. Olivia's face was dripping with snot and tears. She was screaming like a wounded animal as she stomped her feet and flailed her arms. Her face was turning red.

The lady of the house, Lady Joycelyn, ran into the room. She scooped Olivia up in her arms and rocked her back and forth. "Shh, Mummy's here." She smoothed down Olivia's chocolate curls. Turning to Cedric she snapped "You should be ashamed of yourself, making your baby sister cry like that."

Joycelyn stormed out of the room. Cedric could still hear Olivia's anguished cries. "I just said I wouldn't play checkers."  
-

It was well past lights out when Cedric heard a knock on his door. He was eleven now. "Come in."

"Ced? You awake?" As the door opened Cedric saw his younger brother Callum standing in the doorway.

"Yeah. Shouldn't you be in bed already?"

"I couldn't sleep. Can I sit in here for a while?" Callum still stood in the doorway nervously.

"Alright. Just don't bother me." Cedric pulled the covers over his head to try and discourage conversation.

"I'm almost ten you know. Just a few more weeks. Isn't this the time that I am supposed to decide what I want to do with my life?" Callum asked worriedly.

"Hey. I am a year older than you and you don't see me stressing about it, do you? No. Things will happen when they happen." Cedric replied, voice muffled through the comforter.

"What do you want to do when you grow up?" Someone else asked. Cedric poked his head out from under his sheets to see that Willes had let himself in.

"Right_ now_, I'd like to sleep." Cedric grumbled. "But I can see that isn't happening."

"That is a good question. We all thought that you would go for your shield in the summer, but here we are in February and you haven't gone." Callum propped his head up on his chin and watched Cedric with interest.

"I don't know. I kinda want to be a knight, but... I already missed starting at the right age." Cedric honestly didn't know whether or not he could stand being the oldest first year page.

"I think you should try." The quiet encouragement came from the sleepy looking five year old in the doorway.

"Livie, what are you doing awake at this hour?" Cedric asked.

"I heard voices." Olivia murmured softly. She stumbled across the room and climbed up onto Cedric's bed. She slid under the covers and curled up into a ball next to him.

"You better not fall asleep." Cedric warned.

"So are you going to try for your shield?" Callum prompted.

"I guess I might. I've always wanted to be a knight, actually." Cedric admitted.

"So what's stopping you?" Willes asked.

"Absolutely nothing." Cedric jumped out of bed and grabbed the wooden practice sword that was leaning up against the wall. "I'll be the best knight ever! I'll fight evil dragons and rescue fair maidens. I'll be a hero."

"Sounds fun." Olivia sighed, almost wistfully.

"Well, that or a pirate." Cedric hopped back up onto the bed and shimmied under the covers.

"When I get bigger, I'm gonna try for my shield." Olivia was much more awake now.

"I'll be a knight when you are a squire. I can be your Knightmaster."

"That'll be great. What about you, Cal? Willes?"

"I don't know what I want to do yet. I am going to wait and let my calling find me." Willes replied absently. "It isn't like there's any pressure on me. I am the third son; I can do whatever I want."

"I want to heal people." Callum said thoughtfully. "I've already asked Dad if I can go to train my Gift."

"That sounds like a plan. Now, it is very late and I, for one, would like to get some sleep. You all should go to your own beds." Cedric looked down at Olivia and saw that she had fallen asleep. She looked so peaceful and innocent, with her thumb in her mouth like that. "You'd better not kick me." Cedric tucked the blankets tighter around his little sister and kissed her forehead.  
-

"Momma? Dad? I'd like to go into page training next fall." Cedric announced the next morning.

"Well that'll be great! You can be a knight just like your father." Joycelyn crowed happily.

"And when Olivia becomes a squire, she can squire for me!" Cedric cried happily.

Joycelyn's face tightened. "Olivia Jasmine would like to be a knight?" Joycelyn was the only person who called Olivia by her full name.

"Yes." Cedric's reply was uncertain. Why had his mother acted like that when he told her?

"Cedric, could you leave your father and me? I'd like to talk to him alone." Joycelyn said sweetly.

Cedric went out of his Broderick's study. When his mother had shut the door behind him he pressed his ear to the keyhole.

"I will not allow it! You know how I feel about Lady Knights."

"The world is changing, Joy; maybe we should let our daughter change with it."

"Rick! I will not let my daughter tramp about in a world of men, let her scar her pretty face. She is worth so much more than that."

"And saving people isn't a worthwhile profession?"

"It's not that, it's..." Cedric heard his mother sigh in exasperation.

"What is it, then? Help me to understand, Joy."

"Olivia is my only daughter. She is the only one I will ever have. I can't have more children, Rick. I wan't to. I am ruined as a woman."

"Don't say that."

"Don't interrupt. As I was saying; Olivia is my only daughter. I won't let her be hurt. I won't let the same thing happen to her as it did to me. What if she were lamed, unable to bear children? Woman kind were put here on earth to mother and be mothers. What if she can't have that? What if she is scared and no man wants her?"

"We can compromise, then. Why not send her to Seaside Academy for Girls? It is a new style of finishing school, not as strict as the convent. They teach horseback riding and archery as well as music, painting, embroidery. How about that?"

"I suppose."

"Then it is settled. Come August Cedric will go to the palace for page training and Callum shall go to the University. In a few years Olivia will go to Seaside."


End file.
